Madrid The flight over from Atlanta was crowded but uneventful. We got to Madrid at dawn. Poor Hector Ramos was waiting for us, early on this Sunday morning. He drove us to the Hotel Mediodia and were lucky enough to get a room...

Auckland -- 11 August Crossed the dateline, so this is actually the 10th, at home. Will get the day back in a month. Had an uneventful, if cramped and uncomfortable, eleven-hour flight from Los Angeles. We got to Auckland around 04:30 local time, and got held up by...

Biking up to the Gap of Dunloe This is the past few weeks' entries -- 20-22 July (This is a trip that Rick Wilber does annually, to Scotland or Ireland, offering a college-credit writing workshop combined with a literary tour. It's co- sponsored, this year, by his...